Since it was either swallow or drown, Hank did the next best thing and let it dribble out, all over his t-shirt.

“Now that’s just a waste.” Jayne let go and the other man’s forehead thumped back onto the table.

“Ow. Again.” He managed to unpeel his cheek from the old wood, pushing himself up with his arms. “Did you have to?”

“Did you have to come in and rescue me?” Jayne countered.

“Seemed like the thing to do,” Hank admitted, leaning into the chair and letting his head fall back. It certainly felt too heavy to hold up. “At the time. Don’t think I’m not beginning to regret it right now.”

“Nah. You and me, we make a good team.” Jayne tossed his whisky down his throat and filled the glasses again. “Come on. One more. For luck.”

“I thought Mal didn’t believe in it.”

“I ain't Mal. And I’ll take anything I can get lets me live another day. ‘Specially when I got a little woman like that waiting for me in the shuttle.”

Hank eyed him with difficulty. His vision seemed to be permanently blurred. “Little woman?”

“River, a’course.”

“Oh, I know who you were talking about. Just not sure what you just said about living another day and calling her the ‘little woman’ go together.”

“Hell, she knows what I think.”

“You say that like it’s a good thing.” He blinked several times. “I think I’m going blind.”

“Nope. That’s just the effects of the whisky.”

“You sure it ain't wood alcohol?”

“Nah. That’s got a different taste entirely.” He knocked back his own, then Hank’s, since the other man didn’t seem inclined to drink it.

Hank groaned. “I need to go to bed.”

Jayne looked at him critically. “You think you can make it?”

“No.”

“Then I’ll give you a hand.” The ex-mercenary stood up, holding onto the back of his chair for a moment. “Whoa. I think maybe Kaylee needs to do somethin’ about the ship weaving. Or maybe the grav boosters need aligning or somesuch.”

“What?”

Jayne shook himself and grabbed Hank by the arm. “Come on. Better get you to your bunk ‘fore you decide to puke all down yourself.”

“I’m not a baby, Jayne.” Something about that sentence made him snicker, even as he was pulled to his feet. His face paled, though. “Oh, God …”

“You gotta walk by yourself,” Jayne insisted, “’cause no matter how much I might be grateful you saved my life, I ain't carrying you.”

“I can walk. Don’t you worry.” Hank took a step forward, straight into the table. “Ow.”

Jayne shook his head and tugged the chair away. “Come on.”

There was a moment’s silence.

“Um, Jayne?”

“Yeah?”

“Ain't we supposed to be moving forward?”

“We’re not?”

“No.”

“Wondered why the door seemed to be getting further away.” His eyes narrowed. “You know, I got an idea.”

Hank’s brain was so befuddled by booze that he actually asked, “Yeah? What’s that?”

---

River and Zoe stepped down into the galley from the aft corridor, and stood staring at their respective husbands.

“It’s kinda sweet,” the first mate finally said.

“Pretty,” River agreed.

“Oh, not sure I’d go that far. Especially since it smells like a saloon in here. But sweet, maybe.”

“Do you think we should wake them up?”

Hank snuffled and snuggled closer to Jayne’s warm bulk.

“No. But I do think we should make sure this is saved for posterity.”

Kaylee hurried up behind them, waving the capture maker. “Got it!”

“Shh,” Zoe hissed. “We don’t want to wake them. Least, not yet.”

“Then let the dog see the rabbit.” The mechanic pushed between them, walking quietly towards the easy chairs. She sighed happily, resting her hands on the growing bump at her waist. “That is so sweet.”

“Kaylee …”

“Oh, right.” She lifted the capture maker, peered through the viewer, and … “Got it.”

“D’ya think we should maybe wake them up?” Kaylee asked, taking another capture as Hank settled his face into the crook of Jayne‘s shoulder. “I mean, he’s gonna get razor burn if he ain’t careful. Jayne’s beard coming through is awful scratchy.“ At Zoe’s gaze she went on quickly, “So I gather.“ She pinked up and turned back to the sleeping pair. “Although they do look really comfy.”

“Dreaming,” River said softly. “Nice dreams. All fluffy bunnies and snow families.”

“Bunnies?” Zoe asked, looking at her.

River shrugged eloquently.

“Then we’d better go,” Kaylee said, ushering the other two women out. “And maybe put a sign up. You know. Do Not Disturb, or some such.”

“Me neither. And Simon‘s cleaning out the infirmary …” Kaylee glanced back over her shoulder. “Where’s the Cap?”

“Down in the cargo bay. He can’t sleep either, so Frey’s working out and he’s spotting her.”

“Before they go to bed and make love,” River added.

Kaylee’s face softened, then mischief sparked in her eyes. “I think we’d better go wait in the engine room,” she said. “’Til they come up and he does his last rounds. Just to … you know, make sure everything’s okay.”

“You are wicked,” Zoe said, laughing lightly. “And it’s got nothing to do with what Mal’s likely to say when he sees them.”

“Oh, no, nothing to do with that.”

“Liar.”

“’Sides, I still got some of my inter-engine brew sitting there, with no-one to drink it.”

“You can’t,” Zoe pointed out.

“No. But I can watch you two.” She grinned. “And I got the capture maker, so no-one’s gonna take a picture of us.”

“Fluffy bunnies and snow families …” River repeated, smiling and heading for the warm red room.

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Monied Individual - Epilogue"I honestly don’t know if my pilot wants to go around with flowers and curlicues carved into his leg.”
[Maya. Post-BDM. The end of the story, and the beginning of the last ...]

Monied Individual - Part XXMal took a deep breath, allowing it out slowly through his nostrils, and now his next words were the honest truth. “Ain’t surprised. No matter how good you are, and I’m not complaining, I’ve seen enough battle wounds, had to help out at the odd amputation on occasion. And I don’t have to be a doc myself to tell his leg ain’t quite the colour it should be, even taking into account his usual pasty complexion. What you did … didn’t work, did it?”
[Maya. Post-BDM. Simon has no choice, and Luke comes around.]

“Nothing, nothing! I just … I don’t think I’ve ever met a man … anyone else by that name.”

“Yeah, he’s a mystery to all of us,” Mal said. “Even his wife.”

[Maya. Post-BDM. Hank's not out of the woods yet, and Mal has a conversation. Enjoy!]

Monied Individual - Part XVIIIJayne had told him a story once, about being on the hunt for someone who owed him something or other. He’d waited for his target for three hours in four inches of slush as the temperature dropped, and had grinned when he’d admitted to Hank that he’d had to break his feet free from the ice when he’d finished.
[Maya. Post-BDM. The Fosters show their true colours, Jayne attempts a rescue, and the others may be too late.]

Snow at ChristmasShe’d seen his memories of his Ma, the Christmases when he was a boy on Shadow, even a faint echo of one before his Pa died, all still there, not diminished by his burning, glowing celebrations of now with Freya.

[Maya. Post-BDM. A seasonal one-off - enjoy!]

Monied Individual - Part XVIIJayne hadn’t waited, but planted a foot by the lock. The door was old, the wood solid, but little could stand against a determined Cobb boot with his full weight behind it. It burst open.

[Maya. Post-BDM. The search for Hank continues. Read, enjoy, review!]

Monied Individual - Part XVIHe slammed the door behind him, making the plates rattle on the sideboard. “It’s okay, girl, I ain't gonna hurt you.” The cook, as tradition dictated, plump and rosy cheeked with her arms covered to the elbows in flour, but with a gypsy voluptuousness, picked up a rolling pin.

Monied Individual - Part XV“Did we …” “We did.” “Why?” As she raised an eyebrow at him he went on quickly, “I mean, we got a comfy bunk, not that far away. Is there any particular reason we’re in here instead?” “You don’t remember?” He concentrated for a moment, and the activities of a few hours previously burst onto him like a sunbeam. “Oh, right,” he acknowledged happily.

“Did we …” “We did.” “Why?” As she raised an eyebrow at him he went on quickly, “I mean, we got a comfy bunk, not that far away. Is there any particular reason we’re in here instead?” “You don’t remember?” He concentrated for a moment, and the activities of a few hours previously burst onto him like a sunbeam. “Oh, right,” he acknowledged happily.

Monied Individual - Part XIVThis wasn’t how an ex-companion did things. Perhaps she’d been hanging around a certain Firefly captain for too long. He listened at keyholes as if it were a competitive sport.

[Maya. Post-BDM. The crew go to the Spring Lights Procession, Mal gives some good news, and Sir Warwick puts in another cameo. Read, enjoy, review!]

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